SHAWANO, WI – Hands-on learning is helping Shawano High School students gain valuable real-world experience through the Wolf River Youth Apprenticeship Program, connecting classrooms with careers in health care, business, and beyond.
Senior Laney Rich is currently balancing her studies with two health care roles, working as a certified nursing assistant at Bellin Hospital and part-time at the Bellin-Pulaski Clinic, where she assists in family medicine. Rich says the apprenticeship has allowed her to gain firsthand experience in a professional medical setting while still in high school, helping her prepare for a future career in health care.
Junior Cooper Montour is also gaining workplace experience through the program, working as an accounting youth apprentice at Genex. Montour says he works weekday afternoons scanning checks, entering invoices, and contributing to office operations, including leading a project to implement a lockbox system. He credits the apprenticeship with teaching him responsibility, time management, and practical skills not always learned in the classroom.
Program organizers say experiences like these are exactly what the Wolf River Youth Apprenticeship Program aims to provide, giving students a head start by pairing education with meaningful employment opportunities. The program partners with local businesses and organizations to help students explore career paths while earning academic credit and on-the-job training.
Parents and students interested in learning more are invited to attend the next informational meeting on January 14 at 6 p.m. in the Commons at Marion High School. Additional meeting dates and program information are available on the Wolf River Youth Apprenticeship Program’s Facebook page.
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